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Love And Birth
By: ohxmyxria (/u/1284455/ohxmyxria)  (https://www.fanfiction.net/pm2/post.php?uid=1284455)
A series of connected drabbles following/during the final scenes of "Life and Death". Various characters. Sticking to canon. Mostly fluff, some hints o
introduction of more gender-swapped characters from the series, and a wedding/honeymoon for our favorite pairing! After 4 fours, finally complete
Rated: Fiction M (https://www.fictionratings.com/) - English - Supernatural/Romance - Beau S., Edythe C. - Chapters: 19 - Words: 142,570 - Revie
(/r/12027853/) - Favs: 249 - Follows: 161 - Updated: May 2, 2020 - Published: Jul 1, 2016 - Status: Complete - id: 12027853

+ -    
< Prev 6. Day Zero
Author's note: Sorry this took a while - couldn't my internet to work right!

Decided to backtrack a little and give what is the first part of Love and Birth. Enjoy!

Day Zero of Forever:

She leaned up on her toes and kissed me once, hard. "I love you. Let's go hunt."

We ran together into the darkness that wasn't dark, and I was unafraid. This would be easy, I knew, just like everything else.

The wind rushed through their clothes as they ran, their bodies moving faster and faster of their own accord seemingly, exhilarated in each other's company. B
Edythe in such a frenzy, in such a heightened state of mind. She was wild and so beautiful it was almost heart breaking. Her smiles made him shiver as faint s
bounced off her teeth and the luminescent flesh of her face and exposed arms. It was like looking at a nymph leaping right out of Grecian legend.

Edythe held nothing back as she moved, agile and lithe, her feet barely touching the ground. He had thought she moved like a cheetah before, but he was wro
before him had the angles of a cheetah in motion, yes, but was swift as a hummingbird and as powerful as a doe leaping away from the earth. This Edythe cou
would not be bound by the chains of the world. She was a goddess. Nothing could hold such a mesmerizing creature down.

He saw her now as his human eyes never could - completely free of her facade. And she was brilliant.

And she was his.

Beau leapt after her, his movement lumbering in comparison, though graceful still somehow. His limbs pulsed with raw power as he pushed himself faster, willi
chase after the dazzling creature before him. The earth shook as his feet tore into it, dipping as he pushed off. If she was the embodiment of flight, he was a f
destructive - but as they ran the two forces met gloriously creating a pairing never seen before. Air and earth, weightlessness and solidity.

Her laughter was a symphony of bells, chiming out a song that filled Beau with longing. Edythe spun on her heel, running backwards now to watch him, but st
reached out her hands for his, finding them waiting eagerly. Their fingers intertwined and he pulled her to his chest, lips meeting before their bodies did. She w
around his waist holding him closer to her, closer than their bodies had ever been.

He dug his heels into the ground, coming to a grinding halt, gripping Edythe to keep her from flying off during the jarring movement. She didn't seem jostled,
with kisses. Beau pushed her up against a tree as a strange, low growl filled his lungs, her name on his lips. Her hands gripped his hair as she pulled him back

She felt warm as they kissed, the first time Beau had ever associated that word with any of her kind - his kind now too. But there was no other word for the s
radiated from her lips to his. The electricity that had buzzed between them for so long was practically tangible now. It was alive and thriving in their gaze, in t
desire. And it was growing, growing until it was uncontrollable.

The tree behind her began to creek as Beau unconsciously pressed Edythe into it deeper. It was her turn to growl, the sound more like a moan. He wanted to
quake with that sound. He wanted to draw it out of her slowly and hear her voice ring in his head as he marveled at all the different sounds he could entice fro

But she was impatient.

She gripped his waist and spun them around so his back was held by the tree. She thenbraced herself against the earth on the tip of her toes, her lips tracing
neck, back to his mouth. Edythe's tongue coaxed his lips to part for her. He thought then that if she could drink him in it still wouldn't be able to quench her th
ravenous.

But before she could think to take her fill, she was stopped by the intrusive thoughts of two familiar minds. They were still far away, but we're calling out to he
a few steps between herself and Beau, glowering as she filtered through their mental voices.

Beau smelled them first, his senses keener for now. The first was a rich scent of lumber and fallen leaves - Eleanor, he thought. The other was Archie's spiced
remembered now from the car ride back to Forks; it was the type of scent department stores could only dream to bottle up.

The two appeared unceremoniously, actively ignoring the evidence of the couple's tryst though their expressions told a different story. Archie's raised eyebrow
"really?" while Eleanor was practically snickering.

"Nice hair," she finally said, directed towards Beau. His hand went straight to his locks and found them standing up in odd angles. He ran his hands through hi
to flatten them down, feeling self conscious as he did.

"What do you two want?" Edythe was attempting to sound bored but her eyes were still dilated and gave away her true state of mind.

"Just joining you two for Beau's first hunt," Eleanor said innocently. "I hope we weren't interrupting anything." From her tone it was clear she knew they did. E
teeth together at her loudly.

"We figured you might need some help with the newborn." Archie skipped to Beau's side, patting him on the back. "We're family now, Beau. Always here to he

"And maybe get in the way a little," Eleanor added with a guffaw. "No such thing as privacy when you live with seven sets of excellent ears and a psychic."

Beau shook his head. "That could take some getting used to."

His new siblings both laughed.

Edythe was less amused. "It doesn't help that these two are exceptionally nosy."

"Guilty as charged," Eleanor said, grinning too widely. "There was no way I was going to miss my littler bro's first hunt - this is gonna be hilarious."

Beau groaned.

"Thanks for that," Edythe snapped at her. "Way to be supportive."

She shrugged. "I've never got to be on this side of it before, E."

Edythe was not pacified by this. "You should be here to help, not hinder. Try to curb your amusement, El."
"Ladies," Archie said, coming between his sisters. "Beau isn't getting any more fed with your bickering. Can you squash it and play nice so he doesn't starve?"
an exasperated glance but said nothing. "Thank you. Now, back to Beau. Ready to do this?"

He gave Archie an uneasy smile. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"It's really easy," he promised. "Really. Just attune yourself with your thirst and let it guide you. Your sense of smell is gonna be your biggest asset here."

Edythe stepped up to the plate. "Just try focus on finding prey right now. Do you smell anything appealing?"

The obvious answer was Edythe of course but he chose to keep that to himself. Instead, he closed himself off from his overworking mind and simply took in ev
flooded the air. There were too many to focus on, even when he excluded the scents of his present company and the underlying scent trails from trips prior. M
vegetation - and lots of it. Earthy, lush scents, all with minuscule differences that he could detect as he breathed them in. Under those were warmer aromas in
groupings. They were mostly stationary but left discernible pathways in the air and on the ground. Animals, he decided. They were as different from the plants
Edythe and her siblings.

He found some of these animal scents were closer than others, the nearest being in a northernmost direction from them. He had no idea what they could be b
least of pack of something - deer, he thought maybe from the size of the group. They didn't exactly smell appealing, but they did smell edible. He supposed th
counted.

Beau pointed the way he thought they would find them. "There's a group of something that way. Deer, I guess?"

Edythe nodded. "Yes, at least seven. They aren't far, maybe two miles away. How do they smell to you?"

"Not bad, but not really good either."

"Yeah herbivores are mostly like that," Eleanor said conversationally, as if they were discussing the appeal of certain cheeses rather than the blood of woodlan
they are plentiful so you kinda just get used to them."

"And they are no trouble to take down and drain," Archie added. "It'll be an easy mark. You're going to want to run up on them quickly - they won't hear you u
aim for one of them for now cause the others are going to scatter. Once you have their scent you can just track them later."

"Right," Beau said hesitantly. He had made it sound so easy but Beau had his doubts.

As if reading his thoughts, Edythe reached out to him comfortingly. "You won't even need to think about it, Beau. Once you see them your body is just going t

Beau nodded solemnly, praying she was right. They took off then, the three of them hanging back a step behind Beau to let him get his bearings first. They dr
forest, silently and swiftly as the wind. In no time they were upon the unsuspecting herd.

The burning in his throat roared to life as he listened to the pumping of hearts before him. It has been manageable just moments before but now in the face a
could feel the mania sweeping over him. He found Edythe had been right - his brain shut down, taking a backseat as his thirst tensed him into a pounce, lettin
deer closest to the fringe.

He caught the doe unaware, immediately finding the jugular and tearing across it with his teeth. He used his hand to grip her steady, the sickening crunch tha
him think he accidentally snapped her neck. It turned out he was using more force than was necessary; her fur and flesh might as well have been wet tissue f
tore through it. Her blood poured freely, most of it finding its way into his mouth. As he drank he found his body felt stronger and more sure. All too soon, he
drop of the limp deer.

Beau pulled away, cringing as he observed himself. It looked like he had been an extra in a horror movie. He wasn't sure whose shirt they had stuck him in, bu
garbage now. He sure hoped they hadn't wanted the garment back.

"Whoa, Beau. You know you were supposed to drink the blood, not bathe in it, right?"

He rolled his eyes at Eleanor, taking her ribbing in stride. "I might have missed that memo."

"He got about eighty percent of it." Archie replied on his behalf, looking him over with a critical eye. "But we should aim for a little better if we want to keep yo

Beau gestured to the ruined shirt. "Sorry, was this yours?"

Archie scoffed. "Oh no. You're not borrowing my clothes until you can manage to hunt and come back without looking so macabre. Earnest has graciously agre
your wardrobe until we can get around to shopping for you."

Edythe danced to his side. She wiped the blood from his face gently, flashing her dimples at him. "Don't worry so much about the mess - staying clean comes
no one expects you to get it perfectly from the get-go. As it is, we all collectively have more clothes than we know what to do with. Don't worry about it." Her
with a hint of uncertainty around the edges. It was obvious on her face she had mixed feelings about watching him hunt.

"A little blood never killed anyone anyway," Archie said encouragingly, his joke meant to lift Beau's tension.

"I for one hope you keep it up," Eleanor said, still amused. She ignored Edythe and Archie's disapproving looks as she clapped him on the back so loudly it ech
trees like thunder. "That was awesome. You practically crushed that deer as soon as you grabbed it - did you hear that crunch?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," he mumbled.

"That's what made it awesome," she insisted. "But I wouldn't recommend it if you're trying to get a steady flow of blood going. Crushing them like that, killing
finished drinking, makes it harder since their heart isn't pumping anymore."

"And you saw how it easy it was to pierce the flesh," Edythe added softly. "You won't need to apply as much force next time and that will help make it easy to
of blood."

"Less crushing, less force - got it."

"Then let's go again." Archie give him a little push. "Go get 'em, tiger. We will be right behind you."

Beau did considerably better with the next deer, even though this one struggled more than the first. He tried to take it just a bit slower, taking the deer down t
swoop and angling over its neck in the same motion. It kicked it's legs out when Beau bared his teeth, struggling futilely as its neck was sliced through. He fou
been right about not killing his prey first; the steady drumming of its heart, slowing with each second but not outright stopping, kept the blood warmer longer
down.

He had thought he would be more squeamish about feeding from animal while it was still alive but found that as long as his thirst was in control he didn't have
what he was doing. He was glad for that; fainting at the sight of blood as a human was embarrassing but as a vampire would probably be a death sentence on
the subject of constant ridicule from Eleanor, he suspected.

He stood up when finished, finding more red across his face but not as much as before. It gave him some satisfaction.

Archie was beside him, but Eleanor and Edythe were no where in sight. He could smell then nearby though.

"Eleanor is burying your first deer," Archie explained to Beau's sweeping glances for the others. "Just in case hikers or hunters come across them. Normally sm
are okay to leave out in the open as long as it's just one or two, but you kind of made a mess of that one and we can't have anyone getting suspicious when t
their throats ripped out and drained of blood." He waved his hand at the fallen deer before them. "This one isn't as bad and the scavengers nearby could take
good practice so you're going to bury this one. Just dig out a nice enough whole and push it in, then cover it so the ground doesn't look disturbed."
It wasn't hard to do. The ground was softer than sand to him now. Once he patted the soil over his meal and Archie approved it they took into the woods deep
following Edythe's scent.

They found her perched on a large rock, sitting cross legged with a struggling stag in her arms, clearly waiting for them. It was almost comical to see her, so p
huge animal so easily. She barely gave it any of her attention as she leapt down, dragging the beast with her like it was a misbehaving cat. She waved Beau c
hand, ignoring the stag's frantic baying.

"I thought you might like to see up close," she said lightly. "Might be easier to learn by example."

She had Beau stand beside her as she carefully dug her teeth into the stag's neck. It stopped moving immediately, nearly collapsing on itself until Edythe's ha
could still hear it's frantic heart but it didn't buck as his deer did. But Beau had a hard time concentrating on her technique.

It was oddly sensuous to watch her suck the blood from the creature, her face bent over its neck with her lovely hair spilling over her shoulder. She was crouc
muscles in her body tensed as she claimed her meal. He found himself observing the lines of her body with rapt attention, cataloging with his new eyes that m
sense of longing to reach out and touch her grew.

He didn't even notice it when Archie came up behind him and smacked the back of his head. "Pay attention, Beaufort."

Beau ducked his head, properly cowed.

Edythe had finished her meal by now, pulling back to show Beau the neat crescent shaped mark she had made. It reminded him uncomfortably of the mark Jo
hand when she bit him - it had not gone away as his other scars and blemishes from his past human adventures had but was fainter than it had been before. A
line of raised skin that would always remind him of the burning that had accompanied it.

Once again, Edythe seemed to be in line with his thoughts, following his eyes to the stag's neck with a frown. "That's from the venom," she explained carefully
always make sure my teeth are coated with venom first. It paralyzes my prey so it doesn't fight back."

"I know." He had felt that paralysis first hand, of course.

Her frown deepened. "If this is too much we can-"

"No, no," Archie interrupted. "He needs to know everything we are capable of, Edythe. Explain why it bubbled up and left the mark."

"Besides being a paralysis," she went on reluctantly, her eyes pleading for Beau to understand. "Venom is a poison as well. As you know, if left to mingle in the
creates creatures like me... Like you. But once the source of venom is cut off, like when I pulled away from my kill, it bubbles from within to seal off the flesh
not escape. That scar is a barrier to keep everything inside the bloodstream."

"You got a good eyeful of Jessamine, right?" Archie's tone was nonchalant but Beau thought he heard something under the surface as well.

Beau nodded once, remembering his alarm as he noticed for the first time more clearly the marks that crisscrossed all over her exposed skin. It had put him o
proof behind her history that she had shared as he was changing.

"Venom," Archie said with a shrug. "Various bite marks from those trying to kill her. She's beautiful regardless, but those scars will always be with her, a remin

"I didn't know anything could permanently scar vampires. I thought you - we - could heal?"

"Some things can never be healed," Edythe said somberly. "Our venom is our greatest weapon with nothing that can counteract it. Once us injected into the fl
merely on top of the skin, which would heal torn flesh - it is nearly impossible to stop." She looked at Beau sadly and he knew she was thinking about how she
Joss's venom.

Beau tried to shake the heaviness of the moment off. "But our own venom can't hurt us?" As he spoke he let venom pool in his mouth experimentally.

"No and yes," Archie answered. "It normally can't hurt us, but if you were to go without feeding for a long period of time, it does sort of melt you from the ins
widened in horror. "It takes a long time to get to that point, however. Like months without feeding."

His mind moved fast enough for him to understand the implication. He recalled the story Edythe had told him when he first visited the Cullens. "Isn't that wha

"Yes," Edythe answered, her expression far away. "When she first changed she did not feed for a long time. She was trying to starve herself to death. She thin
hunting contributed to her mental state, to her attempts at suicide. The venom was destroying her internally as she deteriorated."

"So definitely no skipping feeding trips," Beau said slowly. He wasn't trying to sound cavalier, he was just partially in shock.

"Right," Archie said with a nod. "And as a newborn, going without eating for any period of time has another effect - it with make you irritated, frenzied, even v
supposed to be the normal state of newborns anyway," he added thoughtfully. "You're pretty much breaking the mold right now to even be speaking to us this

Beau was startled. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you," Edythe promised adamantly though even she looked concerned. "You are simply very in control. I've never seen this before but it
It's actually really good. Surprising, but good."

"Jessamine was trying to figure out how you were so calm after you woke up," Archie said with a grin. "She was ready to have to sedate you with her gift; from
newborns are emotional wrecks, prone to manic episodes as they try to cope with all the new sensations of this life. Adding to that that they are also incredibl
be a deadly combination. Like a toddler on steroids."

"You'll be a lot easier to watch after than Eleanor was," Edythe said decidedly. "If this continues."

Eleanor herself appeared then, brushing some leaves from her clothes as she stepped through the bushes. "Someone call me?"

Edythe grinned. "Just saying how much more trouble you gave us as a newborn. We think Beau might be the best behaved new vampire we've ever heard of."

"Yeah, it's a little disappointing, actually," Eleanor said with a sigh. "Here I was hoping he'd have some epic temper and I'd get the chance to test my strength

"He would crush you," Archie said with an eye roll.

"Maybe, maybe not."

"I wouldn't want to hurt you," Beau said, filled with concern. "It's probably for the best I'm an atypical newborn."

"You couldn't hurt me." She puffed herself up, flexing her arms as she did. He suddenly believed her. "We could have a little friendly contest, you know, just to
really are. Maybe arm wrestling?" Eleanor looked at him hopefully.

"Ignore Eleanor," Edythe said harshly. "She's always looking for her next challenge."

"Killjoy," Eleanor muttered.

The trio lead Beau through a few more instructional hunts until he felt bloated and swishy was blood. He had managed to take down a few more deer successf
of the night, a medium sized bear that Eleanor had insisted he take on, had proved more of a challenge. Not because he wasn't stronger than it - he most defi
the hibernation season just at an end the bear was clearly keyed up.
And like Beau's new sister, it had seemed primed for a fight. He had been hesitant to charge the bear, his fuzzy human memories of bear attacks making him a
had been his undoing. The bear had gotten a good swipe at him, slicing up his bloody shirt and jeans, though of course leaving Beau unharmed. The attack ga
confidence and went at him again, charging with rage when Beau evaded the subsequent hits. With Eleanor's guidance he grabbed the bear in a headlock and
back, which only made it howl harder. But the time he had drained the beast, Beau was a complete mess, his hair and face caked with blood and dirt, his cloth
tatters.

Eleanor politely looked away, her attention drawn towards the mountain range where a rumble of angry growls could be heard. Her face lit up. "Cool, I think it
for revenge. Think they'll be enough to share?"

"I think I'm done," Beau said wearily.

"More for me then!"

"It's time to get you home anyway and into some new clothes." Edythe was eyeing Beau in a way that was a little suggestive, her eyes smoldering. He was alr
the blood he had taken in and could practically feel it take to his face and neck under her scrutiny.

Archie stepped between the couple. "Actually I think you should stay with El, Edy. You could use a good hunt too, judging by your eyes." They were visibly dar
wondered how much of that had to do with thirst.

Her jaw snapped shut. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" he asked despite clearly already knowing the answer. "Besides, Beau is hardly decent right now and I'll need some time to pilfer an ensemble for h

She huffed, giving Archie a meaningful look that made Beau think a second conversation was going on non verbally as well. He couldn't follow it but by Edythe
and drawn eyebrows he thought it might be an argument. After a beat, Edythe sighed loudly and he assumed she had lost.

She hopped to Beau, pulling him down into a deep, passionate kiss that didn't seem all together appropriate considering her brother was just a foot away. Reg
her back, though maybe not as feverishly. When she let him go, a bit of the flesher bear blood dotted her pink lips. She licked up the liquid with a slow swipe o
Beau's breath caught.

He thought about ducking into her for a second, deeper kiss but Archie intervened, clearly having seen where that would lead.

"Enough with the gooey eyes," he said, his expression half way between amused and annoyed. "You'll see her in an hour. So let's get you showered and dresse
want to stay like this?" Archie added, gesturing to Beau's more than artfully ripped jeans.

Edythe was eyeing his jeans too, but didn't seem to have the same objections to their state that her brother did.

"Go. Hunt." Archie glared at her. "Eleanor won't leave any for you if you dawdle any longer." Sometime in the midst of Edythe and Beau's kiss their brunette si

"Fiiine," she said, drawing out the word. After one last appreciate glance at Beau she took off too, a whirl of white against the dense backdrop of trees.

Archie rolled his eyes, leading the way back to the house. "You two are going to be soooo impossible for a while."

Beau frowned, keeping up with him as they swerved through the trees. "What do you mean?"

"Pretty sure you know what I mean," he replied with a quiet chuckle. "You are well aware what me and Eleanor interrupted."

Beau ducked his head, not slowing his pace. "Uh... Yeah."

Archie shrugged. "Nothing to be embarrassed about. It's normal, it's just going to take some getting used to for the rest of us - though I guess we owe Edythe
putting up with us for all these years."

They slowed as they approached the house. The glass wall was as perfect as always, but with one of the panels unhinged, opened like it was a door on the sec
home. Beau figured it was supposed to be a window, however, for easy exits.

Archie sprung lightly once they were close enough, landing silently through the window left ajar. He waved Beau up, who was halted by the intimidating jump.
strong enough to make it as easily as Archie did but worried he would miscalculate and shatter the entire wall in the process.

"Don't over think it," Archie offered encouragingly. "You'll make it fine." And then he took a step away to allow Beau clearance.

It was hard to argue with a psychic so Beau jumped, using less power than Archie had, somehow calculating the angle and speed that would be required at th
tensed his legs. A fraction of a second later he was inside, Archie closing the swinging window after him.

Beau didn't recognize this room but knew from the scent that it was Archie's. It was tastefully decorated in colors not quite as muted as the rest of the home,
rich teals with only some accents of white. It looked very chic and modern.

Archie led Beau through one of the two attached rooms which he discovered was a bathroom nearly the same size as the bedroom itself. It looked more like a
from its white tiles and generous proportions. He didn't think he would ever get used to the Cullens' extravagance.

There was a stand up shower that took up most of the inner wall with frosted glass that Beau could see through even though it gave him a headache. Archie g
He showed Beau how to use the handsome knobs and faucets, but must have seen something going wrong regardless and elected to start the water himself.

Beau thought Archie would give him some space after that but apparently his new brother wasn't acquainted with the idea of privacy. The smaller man simply
counter patiently, swinging his legs out as he did. Beau could only turn his back to him with a shrug, easing out of the destroyed clothes and jumping into the
he could at least close the shower door.

The spray was pleasantly warm to his cold body though it was no doubt scolding based on the steam that enveloped the glass. Leaves and twigs clattered to t
mingling with the water that quickly dyed red around the drain. Even though the blood was his source of sustenance now, the new vampire couldn't help but b
as he realized exactly how covered he was in it. It was a relief when the water ran mostly clear.

Beau hadn't sweat during his hunt of course and couldn't bring himself to think of vampires ever smelling bad but he was still confused by the less than abund
collection in the marble basin. It looked almost as scarce at what he mind find in a hotel room.

"We don't really need all that stuff," Archie explained before Beau got a chance to inquire about it. "And most of it smells so artificial it's actually disgusting. Pa
so much easier to ignore our thirst in school is because of the constant clouds of Axe spray and Body by Victoria perfume - they do a pretty good job of coveri
natural odors which smell fine on their own. Just use the unscented wash. This water with get you clean enough anyway."

Once Beau felt sufficiently scrubbed and his hair was plastered to his head, he knew it was time to get out. But the warmth of the shower was too inviting and
delaying.

Archie knew what he was doing and snickered. "Yes I know it feels really nice in there but we do actually have work to do, you know. Get out of there already.
opened the glass door and shoved a towel at him.

Beau quickly stepped out after wrapping it around himself, letting Archie reach over him to shut the water off. He went to the counter, finding a second towel w
his hair with. As he ran the soft cotton over his features, avoiding his red-eyed reflection in the mirror, Archie fluttered in and out of the bathroom. He dropped
Beau on the counter, grumbling to himself about his "stupidly tall brothers". It made Beau laugh.
Once Beau was dressed in a pair of slacks that must have been Royals because of the length and a sweater that smelled like Earnest he followed Archie back i
The dark haired vampire gave him a critical look before swirling around him, muttering measurements to himself as he prodded and poked. When he was done
a second, returning with an armful of clothes.

"This should do for now," he said with a sigh that only a tad melodramatic. "It's a pitiful collection but at least you won't have to go without clothes completely
Royal my favorite Oakleys and two hats I just ordered from the Marc Jacobs spring line for the pants, but I had no choice - you'd look ridiculous trying to fit in
Earnest's."

"Um, thank you for your sacrifice?"

He shook his head, his mood clearing. "I'll just replace my things when we finally get around to taking you shopping. It won't be too long, based on the progre
be making. We might even be able to make it to Seattle before the summer things come in!"

Beau cringed, though if it was more for the prospect of shopping or being around humans so soon, he couldn't really say. "Is that really such a good idea? Cou
clothes online? I'm pretty sure you know what will fit me anyway now."

Archie pouted. "Where the fun in that?"

"Shopping is what you consider fun?"

He stomped his foot. "You're ruining everything! You best unmake up your mind right now, mister. This shopping trip is going to happen."

"Did... You actually just stomp your foot?"

"You're very irritating, you know that?"

Beau raised an eyebrow at him. "Says the guy who wouldn't even let me shower alone."

"Just had to make sure you left everything in one piece," he answered dismissively. "Besides, after the state your clothes were in, modesty was kind of out the
Archie shoved the pile of clothes into Beau's hands. "Now come on and let's put your clothes up. Some of it will need to be altered but most of it should be fine

Beau figured Archie would led him to some huge walk in closet but was surprised when they went to Edythe's room instead. He thought his face should be hot
he was officially moving in with his girlfriend, he supposed - but was more concerned with Archie's flippancy about it.

"Are you sure Edythe is okay with this? I kinda think she might want her own space."

"I already asked her earlier and she said it was fine. Unless you'd rather I clear out one of the storage rooms on the third floor?" He looked almost hopeful. "W
new furniture and have more closet space to work with-"

"Actually this is plenty," Beau said quickly, not wanting to give the over eager vampire any more ammunition for this supposed shopping trip. He was doing his
completely decide not to go but he had a feeling having to do shopping for a whole room was his breaking point.

Archie huffed, but didn't fight him. Instead he opened the sliding glass door to Edythe's closet. He quickly shuffled her clothing to one side before plucking gar
and hanging with pristinely. His arms were emptied in no time, taking up not even a tenth of the space.

Archie shook his head, clearly dissatisfied. "If you keep going through clothes like you did today, this won't last a week. You're going to have to be very carefu
deer only until we get a handle on your pathetic wardrobe situation."

"I'll do my best," Beau said, amused by Archie's distress.

He watched as the other vampire folded himself on the carpet neatly, stirring a memory Beau had of just a few days before. It was muddled, like most of his h
he remembered being amazing by Archie's fluidity and ease around him. He knew now that the ease came with the knowledge that they would someday be th
found himself thinking then that that day wasn't too far off.

He already liked Archie a lot and felt comfortable around him. He helped him feel like he fit in, like he belonged here. They had a comradely already from their
also the unfortunate connection of both having been hunted by Joss, too. He figured he might be relying on Archie just as much as Edythe in the coming mont
everything.

Archie looked at Beau funnily, his eyes almost dazed before a bright grin overwhelmed his features. It was blindingly beautiful.

Beau was immediately suspicious, suspecting Archie had seen he would get his way about the shopping trip. "What did you see?"

"The same thing I've been seeing for a while now," he admitted secretively.

"And that is...?"

Archie hesitated, switching gears suddenly. "You love my sister, right?"

Beau nodded, started by the question from seemingly out of nowhere. "Of course."

"Then we need to talk about something." Archie patted the carpet beside him, inviting Beau to join him. Once he was on the floor, the psychic vampire gave h
"Okay, so you know Edythe. You know how she likes to blame herself for all kinds of stuff and get all mopey on her own, right?"

His words made Beau remember the scene she had made in the meadow that fateful day. Unlike his other human memories, the image of her was extremely c
starling how angry and beautiful she had been as she did her best to scare him off. Beau nodded again.

"Well she is going to get a lot worse these next few weeks," Archie went on. "Because you died and she feels like she failed you and she doesn't know what sh
up to you."

"But why? It not like this was her fault," Beau insisted. "I was the one who went to meet Joss by myself."

"And I was the one who couldn't predict it and stop you," he countered shortly. "There's a lot of blame to go around but for Edythe it all comes down to the fac
danger just by knowing you. In her mind she might as well have killed you herself." Beau flinched. "Yeah, she's always been prone to melodrama. It's just how
really suffering now from what Jess says. And it's weird - she's suffering because she's kind of happy.

"Because she gets to keep you," Archie clarified because Beau looked confused. "She was a mess during the drive up and still so bad when we got here that Je
even be in the same room as you two while you were both suffering so bad. But once you were done transforming Jess was actually drawn to you because you
Edythe? She's pretty much falling apart, being torn between letting herself enjoy having you with her and hating herself for making you like us."

They were both quiet for a long time, sitting stock-still like a couple of marble statues. Finally Beau couldn't stand it anymore.

"What do I do?" He wasn't really expecting an answer but he desperately wanted to grasp one. "How do I rid her of this guilt? Would she even listen if I told h

"No she won't. She'll just think you're being kind. I think she wants you to blame her, sick as that is."

"She always did want me to see her as a monster," Beau agreed hoarsely.

Archie was pulling at the carpet, the gold strands caught between his pale fingers. "It's how she has always seen herself. None of this has been easy for her. I
for anyone as I'm sure you'll see, but Edythe took everything one step further when she went off on her own back then to hunt humans."
Beau remembered this story too, the avenging angel version of Edythe who stalked the dregs of humanity and had eyes just as red as his. "She thought it wou
less like the villain if she killed those who were truly evil."

"Yes but it just ate away at her more. Besides Carine, all of us have killed humans," Archie said in a hushed voice. "Some more than others, but it was worse f
Jessamine because of their gifts and how long they went on a strictly human diet - Edythe for a couple of years and Jess for decades. But they also knew what
hunted were thinking, were feeling."

Beau couldn't imagine the kind of toll that had to take on them to be able to feel their victims terror and see themselves reflected in their mind as a monster.
on Edythe's face that night in Port Angeles, felt her fury as she tried to fight the urge to kill the people who had targeted him. Had her past victims been able
natural beauty before they took their last breaths or had they been frozen in her blood red eyes, the eyes of a predator? Did their final image of her as a demo
Edythe saw herself?

"It eats at Jess sometimes..." Archie sighed, his trained down towards the carpet. "She can't forgive herself even though she didn't know there was a choice b
killing so many stunted any lingering humanity she might have had. It makes it harder for her to live this way than the rest of us. But she's strong and keeps
regardless."

He looked up at Beau then, his expression fractional lighter. "She's the reason I was able to choose Carine's way of existing, you know. Because some day I kn
save her from the pain that was all she knew and that she would need me to keep her on this path when it got tough."

That trigged another memory. "Edythe said the first thing you saw when you woke up was her."

"That's true, but not the whole story," he said as a smile stole over his face. "The first vision I had in this life was of Jessamine marrying me. That's why we on
the one time - it was the moment I based my whole life around, the one that led me to her, to our family, to overcoming my thirst each day. It grounded me a
world that was extremely confusing. I didn't know who I was but I knew who I could be - if I stayed good." Archie shrugged his shoulders. "I made mistakes,
her so someday she could do her best for me. And it's worked all these years."

Beau took a bit to process what Archie had said, to try to understand the implications. Never in so many words had he had Edythe's struggle spelled out for hi
because he got everything through Edythe herself who clearly had been filtering.

Beau was starting off with a clean slate with none of the self loathing and anguish that came from the horrifying reality of their world. He would begin this sec
had a choice, knowing he had the ability to survive on animals alone. But he would also have the benefit of a whole family of practiced vegetarians to keep him
they were successful he would never have the burning guilt that plagued Edythe - but that didn't take away her own suffering. Her new task to look after him
making it worse.

She blamed herself for Beau becoming like her. Beau had seen that in the way she immediately assumed he would hate her for not being able to save him, bu
now that he was like her, Edythe would be relieved. Happy. He wanted more than anything for her to be happy to have him, wanted her to be 'selfish' as she p
was being selfish too, basking in the fact that he would never have to be separated from her for as long as she would have him. It meant accepting that he wo
parents again - and that was a painful thing he still hadn't fully come to terms with - but he was overwhelmed with joy still, despite that.

But she wouldn't let herself be happy and Beau didn't think he would ever be able to grasp the full extent of how muddled her feelings had to be. But Archie d
witnessed then with Jessamine.

Hearing Archie's account of what Edythe was going through by comparing it to his own experience with Jessamine put everything in a new perspective. He wa
who had the know-how and desire to help Edythe as much as Beau.

"I want to be there for Edythe," Beau said, feeling a renewed sense of kinship with his friend. "To get her to a healthier place. And I know you saw how to do i
before, isn't it?"

Archie reached out to Beau, his eyes warm with compassion. "Well of course. She needs what I needed. An anchor, something to tether her and help her alway
day what is really important - you and being your strength every day as you are her's. Edythe needs to know what forever has in store for her and the epitom
could have if she lets herself."

In that instant several things clicked together for Beau with those key few words - always, forever, and happiness. It was a story he had only heard once from
face had long since been forgotten even before the venom burned away part of his memory.

Beau had to clear his throat of a lump that formed as the gravity of what he was about to propose hit him. Archie was patient, knowing what Beau's next word
knowing it was important that he say them out loud to truly cement his intentions.

"Archie," Beau finally forced out as a warm feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. It might have been nerves but he had never felt them like this before. "I'm
help. I... need you to get something for me from Charlie's house... A pair of rings."

Archie pumped his fist almost comically. "Yes!"

Beau felt like he was paler than normal, too shaken by the plan he was forming to give Archie the disapproving look he deserved.

Part of him was incredulous still as he turned his idea over - was he jumping the gun with this? If he broke it down he had technically only known Edythe for a
few weeks of which they had been dating. You weren't supposed to get married to someone that fast unless there were extenuating circumstances, like an une
or being sent off to the front lines of combat. Though, he thought sarcastically, being hunted by a vampire and subsequently murdered might technically qualif

But the other part of him knew this was a foregone conclusion. He loved Edythe, was living with her, and planned on loving her indefinitely as immortality now
course they were going to together forever - getting married was just the obvious thing to do.

But just because it was what they were supposed to do it didn't mean he felt they should. Marriage had never really been a priority for Beau as he had always
about the whole thing. He had seen it fail but he had seen it work, too, so he didn't think he was overly cynical. More than anything, he simply thought getting
something people did because it was what you were expected to do when you made a commitment to someone. There was no romance to the notion for him.

Of course, he had never really considered the possibility that he would find someone he loved enough to think about it seriously.

But he had now. Did that mean he had to change the way he thought?

Not necessarily. It just meant he needed to expand his thinking, he figured. And that was something he was capable of now that he was more than human.

Looking at it logically, he knew his former objections to getting married were more or less groundless now. Edythe and Beau were hardly two normal seventee
married for the wrong reasons. They were unchanging - what they were now was all they would ever be, in love and immortal.

The reasons that human marriages didn't last were usually because the couple figured out too late that they were not compatible. There were too many factor
complications. But those things that complicated relationships didn't apply to them because those were all the small flaws that were just a part of being huma
going to cheat on her, obviously, and hopefully she would never tire of his company. They didn't have to worry about growing apart or being separated for any
were certainly never going to die and leave the other alone. Being what they were freed them from the petty insecurities that plagued human relationships. He
make being married infinitely easier.

Was that reason enough to ask for her hand - because it was easy?

Everything would be easy with Edythe now, easier than falling in love with her, even. They were past the biggest hurdle in their relationship - his humanity - a
cope with the repercussions of it. There was going to be pain for some time on both of their parts, he knew, from reeling with what Beau was losing. What Edy
still thought she took from him. But he wanted to be able to lean on her and have her rely on him in turn to. They would be partners and help each over overc
Archie and Jessamine did. Did that ability come from being married necessarily? Probably not, but it did come from trusting themselves wholly with each other
Even from the beginning Beau had trusted Edythe with every fiber of his being, with his love, with his life. He could trust her with his future too, couldn't he? A
were interwoven for him; there was no forever without Edythe.

He could see it so clearly in his mind, those days that stretched out into the horizon. She would be with him every step of the way, sharing her smiles, her lau
love with him. Because she loved him just as dearly. And that was the part that was important.

He wasn't going to marry her because he thought he should, because it was easy, or even because it might be what she wanted. He was going to marry her be
and this was just another way he could show that. He would write her name in the sky if he could just to remind her how boundless his feelings for her were.

This all took him only an instant to process. One second of doubt, something very human, only to come back to the obvious decision.

Beau ducked his head, feeling a smile too wide for his face dominating his features. "I guess there's no need to ask if she'll say yes."

Archie laughed boisterously. "You don't need to be psychic to know what she'll say. How she'll say it is a different matter of course. There's a few ways this all
decisions to be made, plans to be followed - but it all ends with Edythe in a big, white dress, I swear."

"That's what matters." Beau paused. "Wait, so we're doing the whole thing? Flowers and dresses and stuff?"

"Duh! Or were you planning to half-ass this?"

"Well no, but I just didn't think we'd do the whole shebang," Beau said, an edge of unease creeping into his tone. "I mean, it'll just be us there so I didn't thin
Besides, it's kind of a silly, human thing, isn't it? Unless it's what Edythe wants in which case it's not," he added quickly. He hadn't pictured her as a big, white
then he'd never really thought about it before. It certainly didn't seem like something she'd be interested.

"It'll look amazing," Archie said, artfully dodging the implied question. "I'm going to be handling everything and you're both going to love it."

"Edythe is going to be okay with giving you free reign?" Beau hadn't forgotten his original prompt. "Is this what she wants, Archie?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "She doesn't know what she wants."

"So that means no. Archie..."

"She's just never pictured it," he said insistently. "If she had, her vision would more closely align with mine. She's just never seen herself as married."

Beau half panicked. "So she doesn't want to-"

"Let me correct that," Archie interrupted. "She has never had to see herself as being married. She didn't know she'd ever find someone to marry, Beau, someo
consider seeing herself with before you."

"Oh." He released a breath loudly.

The older vampire snorted. "Don't go freaking out on me already. I told you she'd say yes."

"Yeah, but I didn't consider that she might just being saying yes because she was doing that overly accommodating thing she does." He would have hated to h
be his wife just because he had asked. If her heart wasn't in it there was really no point.

"She's from an era where getting married was something drilled in your head from birth for girls; she doesn't have an objections to being married. Edythe was
wasn't anyone out there for her." Archie leaned in excitedly. "She's going to be happy, I promise. My sister has been waiting almost a century to marry you ev
it."

That certainly wiped away his concerns. He was able to circle back now. "Okay, so she's good on the idea. Now i just need you to promise she'll be okay with w
planning. I'm not going to let you plan something if she's not going to be on-board."

Archie was choosing his words carefully, his eyes innocently wide. "She is going to love it, Beau. It might not have been what she would have planned herself,
because I'm better at this stuff than she is. Besides, she's going to have her hands too full to plan anything herself in the next few months so she would deleg

It didn't seem like Archie was lying so Beau decided to drop it. "Next few months?"

"Neither of you is going to want to wait." He seemed completely positive of that. "I don't have an exact date, though, because it depends on how you ask her,

Beau chewed that over. He already knew he was going to ask her and that he wanted to give her the rings that he had inherited from his grandparents, but th
weren't clear to him either. "Any help with that? Is there a way she'd like best?"

"There is," he replied slowly as he wove his way through several different futures at once. "But you're going to object to it at first before you eventually come

That sounded a little ominous, but Beau looked at his friend expectantly.

"We're going to need a little help," Archie hedged.

"From who?"

"Your dad."

Beau blanched like he had been punched in the stomach. "Charlie? What does he have to do with this?"

"He can help." Archie's words were gentle. "You can ask him to."

"Oh yeah, I'll just saunter over to the house and-"

"Not that way. I have a plan. It's a little convoluted-"

He made a face. "A little?"

"But it'll work," Archie insisted. "And it might do some good for Charlie too. Just hear me out, okay?"

Beau listened in disbelief as he explained his crazy idea to bring Edythe and Charlie together so that his father could present her with the second ring of the pa
writing a farewell letter under the premise of it being for Edythe though Charlie was going to be the actual recipient and then having her hand deliver it to him
would cause a chain reaction that would somehow end with Charlie finding closure in Beau's death. His relief would be enough to ease some of Edythe's guilt a
one stone.

Beau thought Archie had lost his mind.

"So you want to send Edythe, who already is suffering from contributing to me never being able to see my family again, to my grieving father so she can hear
thought? And then hand him a bogus tearful goodbye letter?" He shook his head, incredulous. "You really think that is going to endear her more to the idea of
gonna be miserable!"

"She's already - well, not miserable - but suffering pretty bad anyway. It'll be like the flu; it has to get worse first to get better." Archie shrugged. "And she's g
his thoughts soon anyway when she goes with Carine to present your remains to Charlie later."

He frowned. "Does she have to be there?"

"No, but you won't be able to stop her. She thinks she deserves to wallow in your father's pain because it's her fault he has to think you're dead."

"It's not-"

"Its just what she feels, Beau. You can't change that. Not unless you do things my way." He wasn't being smug as he spoke. He looked every bit as upset as B

Beau sighed. "Let me think about it, okay?"

"I will," Archie promised. "Like I said, you're going to come around. Just mull it over, okay?"

He nodded once, his thoughts still swirling.

Archie got to his feet, sighing. "Just don't mull it over now. She'll be in range in a few minutes and if she sees you all lost in thought she's going to be suspicio
fingers together, clearly thinking something over. "I better run now so I can get the engagement ring before your dad gets off work. After he gets the news he
house for a while..."

Beau didn't want to think of the implications of that. "Well it's in-"

"I know, silly."

He rolled his eyes. "Right. Psychic."

When Archie was gone, Beau took the minute he had alone to try to rearrange his thoughts so they weren't apparent on his face. He stared out the wall of gla
changing color under his gaze. The sun was rising on a new day, the first of many more to come.

He stood, on his feet at the same time the thought crossed his mind. That would take some getting used to. With ease he found the nearly invisible hinges tha
the window separated from the rest of the glass. Carefully, he put his hand to the glass wall, focusing every ounce of his being in minding the strength that pu
frame. With less effort than he normal would have put in turning a page, he opened the window slowly. He let himself be pleased it hadn't shattered with a sm
brain, the rest centered around welcoming Edythe home.

Now that he had already decided he was going to ask Edythe to marry him, everything that came along with it was easy to take in. He was glad to see that as
personality hadn't changed, his ability to process his choices was singular clarity once they were made. He was able to enjoy the idea of being married soon, t
ceremony mattered little to him; it was what was to follow that was the exciting part.

What would it mean for their relationship? What would change, stay the same? There seemed to be infinite possibilities. He only hoped she found them as thri
would explore them together with him.

It felt strange to acknowledge in the same breath the unknowns that awaited him even as he mourned the world he was stepping away from. Already he felt t
was and who he was becoming. He didn't think the changes would be bad or good - they would just be different. He would be different. Beau was no longer th
guy who came running to Forks thoughtlessly, who found himself falling into a world he could never had imagined. Everything had shifted, tilted on its axis the
Edythe's eye across the crowded cafeteria. From that moment on, he had began to grow. And even though he was physically frozen now as a teenager, he kne
beginning of his path towards becoming the person he was always meant to be. He would learn, fight, challenge himself, and all the while love more fully than
This was the end of one story and the start of another all at once.

This was the start of forever.

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